Review
Set for a dramatic return to the showrooms in September, and boasting significant advances over the original budget-priced sportster that ended a six-year production run in 2000, the new slingshot supermini will rival the market-leading Peugeot 206CC with keener pricing to go with its strong kerbside appeal and an automatic retractable steel roof that opens and closes at the touch of a button.
Speaking at the media launch of the car in Germany, chairman and managing director Kevin Wale told Fleet NewsNet: ‘The Tigra is the latest example of how we aim to produce vehicles that people aspire to own. I hope it will be a head-turner that makes potential customers think about considering our brand.’
With its VX220 sports car and Australian-built Moreno high-performance coupe, Britain’s biggest-selling business car provider has already laid the foundations for a series of niche products to raise its image as it battles with Ford for market leadership.
Projected annual sales of around 5,500 units look likely to turn the Tigra into the company’s best bet out of its performance range for additional volume in a sector likely to account for 70,000 top-down registrations this year despite the vagaries of the UK climate. Wale said: ‘People now seek individuality from their cars and we’re determined to give them what they want. In future, four out of every 10 models we produce will have classic saloon or estate car bodywork and another four will be vehicles boasting new solutions in family and recreational transport.
‘But the remaining two will be devoted to pace-setting niche concepts like the Tigra. Significant decline in the D-segment has been replaced by an upsurge in demand for non-conventional transport and personal cars that are highly desirable.
‘We are committed to growing our range to account for this shift. We’ll come up with more products that deliver a focus on style and provide driving excitement. We’re working to develop a number of programmes to meet those needs.’
Targeted to appeal to the young and young-at-heart, the Tigra’s two-seat layout means it blends chic lines with a total luggage capacity of more than 500 litres – the biggest in its class when the electro-hydraulically-operated metal top is in place. When the roof is stowed neatly out of sight, the boot still provides 250 litres of capacity, plus another 70 litres behind the seats.
Brand manager Sara Nicholson said: ‘This is the factor that separates our car from the rest. We think we’ve come up with a sporty, sexy shape that is also completely practical when it comes to swallowing the weekly shop or holiday luggage. We’re sure a lot of people will opt for that benefit rather than have a two-plus-two configuration that is always going to be a compromise with more than two people aboard.’
Assembled by Heuliez, the French coachbuilder, the Tigra puts unique bodywork on the Corsa platform to achieve a stunning appearance Nicholson believes will attract new customers to Vauxhall – 70% of them female.
A snappy looker from any angle, it has a broad stance, short overhangs, a wave-shaped aluminium roll bar and clear-glass headlights with cylindrical lamps set in a distinctive 3D design.
Like its main rival, the Tigra uses four hydraulic cylinders, five electric motors and 20 contact sensors to make its top whirr quietly out of sight in less than 20 seconds after two locking latches have been released. But the way it disappears into the bodywork – almost vertically rather than horizontally – is the reason why bootspace is more generous than usual.
Chrome-ringed instruments with black dials underline the sporty character of the car, which will come in two trim levels with the choice of 1.4 or 1.8-litre petrol engines at launch.
Standard equipment includes 15-inch alloy wheels, height-adjustable seats and steering wheel, power windows, heated mirrors, a glazed rear window and four airbags. The Sport version adds 10-spoke, 16-inch alloy wheels, two-tone anthracite/steel-grey sport seats, silver-colour seat belts, leather steering wheel, aluminium pedals and matt chrome detailing on the gear and handbrake levers.
Options include air conditioning, a leather pack with heated seats, on-board computer, cruise control, 17-inch alloys, three entertainment systems – one with satellite navigation – and a five-piece luggage set.
Nicholson added: ‘It took us 19 months to come up with the design for a model we wanted to take over from the original Tigra, which is still highly rated on the used car market. We’ve done nothing to promote it yet, but we have already received more than 500 orders, so we think we’ve got it right.’
Of interest to drivers looking to limit tax bills could be the news that Vauxhall is also seriously considering a diesel variant.
Wale said: ‘Diesel is another potential element in the equation. We’re talking about it at the moment and if the idea gets the go-ahead, we’ll roll out a version with the 1.3-litre common rail Corsa unit inside the next 12 months.’
Behind the wheel
The little Tigra turned out to be almost as much of a crowd-puller as the Queen Mary 2 when we drove the car in Germany.
By coincidence, our test route followed part of the Elbe at the same time as the majestic Cunard liner was heading out to sea from Hamburg. As a result, the hour we spent in slow-moving traffic proved Vauxhall has a smash-hit on its hands.
‘Great’ and ‘I like it’ featured heavily in the comments made as passers-by and motorists stopped to ask about the new model.
Thanks to the QM2, our time at the wheel was curtailed, but it was still sufficient to win plaudits for agility and handling as well as appearance.
Based on Corsa GSi underpinnings, the Tigra is sophisticated on the move, with positive roadholding and neat manners at all speeds.
Ultimately, the 1.8-litre version offers most thrills, but the 1.4-litre model is so willing and free-revving that it’s the better value buy.
Driving verdict
Sports chassis versions of the Tigra will be introduced next spring as GM steps up its bid to win a greater share of Britain’s booming coupe cabriolet market. There’s no indication of how much extra the modifications will cost – but think twice before placing an order because this is a little sparkler in standard trim. Watch out, Peugeot.
| Engine (cc): | 1,364 | 1,796 | ||
| Max power (bhp/rpm): | 90/5,600 | 125/6,000 | ||
| max torque (lb-ft/rpm): | 92/4,000 | 122/4,600 | ||
| Max speed (mph): | 112 | 127 | ||
| Fuel consumption (mpg): | 46.3 | 36.7 | ||
| CO2 emissions (g/km): | 146 | 185 | ||
| Service interval (miles): | 20,000 | |||
Prices (OTR): £13,750-15,750
